Harbor Freight TIG Welder (Gas Line)

Sep 15, 2005 4 Replies

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Joe 20 years ago

I picked up a TIG unit from HF's markdown table. However, the supplied hose for the gas supply won't fit my (standard) regulator/flow meter. A standard hose won't screw into the fitting on the box. Does anyone know what the thread on the HF box is? Is there an adapter available to allow me to use either of these hoses? I refuse to buy HF's regulator, since I already own a perfectly good one. I really want to practice with this until I can afford a real machine. Even if I were to return the welder, I've got more money tied up in the regulator and gas cylinder than what I spent on the welder. I'd hate to have them sitting around doing nothing but taking up space.

TIA, Joe

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pdrahn 20 years ago

The machinist would realize the threads are probably metric and turn an adapter out of brass. The old farmer would cut the hose and splice in a hose with the proper threads. Use a short piece of copper tubing and two clamps.

Paul

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Don Foreman 20 years ago

Hard to tell with Chinese stuff. I've seen some threads that were neither metric nor SAE. They probably were supposed to be one or the other but were so far out of spec I couldn't tell which.

Cut the fitting off the hose, take the hose to a welding supply store and have them crimp on a fitting that will fit your regulator/flowmeter. It'll only cost you a couple of bux.

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Gunner 20 years ago

Ayup. Which is why I keep small clamps and copper tubing on hand.

Adapt, improvise, overcome.

Gunner

"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the s*it out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner

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Joe 20 years ago

Thanks to all you guys for the suggestions. The machinist here is a bit incompetent, so I guess the farmer will have his way. I just hated the idea of cutting a perfectly good hose (and I don't mean the one that came with the welder). I guess I'll be welding this weekend.

Joe

I wrote:

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